411? What's that? They still have that service. It's so 1990's.

Bing has a 411? Did Apple really need to tell Redmond to "Start their photocopiers"?

GOOG-411 is yellow pages only, AFAIK. Any free services that also do white pages?

@Nick1693: Apple has 411 service?

and besides, Bing is obviously a variety of cherry, not apple.

@shepd: 1800 - FREE - 411

More importantly: Does this get considered a change to the terms of the contract and allow people to escape ETF free?

@Underpants Gnome: Apple said Microsoft was copying from them and Google.

So you used a topic that has nothing to do with the iPhone as an opportunity to insult your readers who have iPhones? Classy.

I hadn't actually realized until a couple years ago that 411 was a paid service. I've since used GOOG-411 several times and was impressed that the entire process was handled without operator intervention. Quick and easy. But it raises the question - who administrates 411, exactly, and why are they under the impression that paying $1.99 for the service is worthwhile when the free options are arguably equal or better?

@Nick1693: Sooo......your statement has nothing to do with this phone service?

@Cant_stop_the_rock: I thought I was insulting AT&T.

@youbastid:
The cost of directory assistance specifically is not normally addressed in an AT&T wireless contract.

You can also text a name and city to GOOGL (46645) and get a text back with the info.

Is this for landline access as well?

@Nick1693: That video was painful to watch. Some comparisons are similar, I admit, but... I think Apple was digging through straws too much to draw those conclusions.

@Laura Northrup:
Calling iPhone users "cultists" is an insult to AT&T and not iPhone users?

Yes.

@Carso:
I believe 411 is provided by your phone service provider, if that's what you're asking, although I've read that it's typically outsourced, with the carrier keeping over 50% of the charges.

@Gramin:
411 is great when you're not near a computer and you don't pay $30 a month for mobile internet.

@youbastid:

That's really interesting.

I know a couple million iPhone 3G who would love to upgrade to the 3GS without an ETF or or forking over the entire unsubsidized price.

Consumerist has posted a handful of guides to
escaping an ETF based on fee changes.

@chris_d: If that's the case, I'd be tempted to believe that the vast majority of it is outsourced. It's hard to imagine that AT&T would be willing to deal with the HR costs associated with maintaining a 411 call center in the US. Thanks for the info.

@Nick1693: JAFB (Just Another Fan Boy). Please dude. Stop it.

@Cant_stop_the_rock: Your comment suggests that you identify too strongly with your iPhone

@morlo:

No, it doesn't. My comment suggests that I don't think the Consumerist should be insulting their readers.

I enjoyed the quip about iphone users being cultists I mean... users ;) LOL!

@thbarnes: I would argue if you use 411 regularly, the increase could be considered a materially adverse change, but I don't like your chances of getting AT&T to buy that.

Most wireless carriers will try anything they can think of to prevent you from weaseling out of a contract due to something like this.

@floraposte: Yes.

@Cant_stop_the_rock: I agree. I'm sick of this whole Apple users are cultists" BS. The iPhone is a great device, that's it.

Only problem I have with 1 800 FREE 411 is that it's often not accurate, or they don't have the latest information of a location.

There have been many times where I will say "Joplin, MO" and then something like "Wal Mart" and it'll say some completely random place that is not even remotely near wal mart.

I do, however, appreciate that they will send you a text message when you finally get the right number.

Oh, and texting GOOGL because it's often faster and more accurate than anything else I deal with.

I love how even on a 411 post, can't help but throwing in a pointless jesusphone reference.

Sprint 411 offers movie listings and a few other non-directory services, though why you would use them for that I don't know.

@FatLynn: I absolutely LOVE Google's SMS service.

It'll also define words, and translate phrases.

You really don't need to pay for much of anything when it comes to information services, between Google and Cha-Cha. That pretty much wipes out 411 and KGB entirely.

@morlo: I don't have an iPhone, and I thin the use of "cultists" is gratuitous.

@youbastid: You know, I tried reading Consumerist comments today after a month-long irritation-sparked hiatus, but yours has just put me on the wagon again.

What is it about this site that attracts such sanctimonious assholes?

@FatLynn: i've always used 466453 to text GOOGLE. and i have also used it for directions [but i have unlimited text messaging - directions have run anywhere from 2-6 text messages back from google for the different steps]

@Carso:

Not sure if they outsource it or not, but the amount of time you're talking to a real person is very short - probably under 15 seconds.

One of my former managers worked as a directory assistance operator at AT&T before it was computerized. They were very big on efficiency back then, so I imagine it's even more like a sweatshop now. He had to look everything up in actual phone books back then.

I work in a library. You might want to program your local library's telephone number in your phone. We will try to answer any question you have for us - free. We can help you out with much more than a phone number if you want us to. Please - try us out, we would love to help you free of charge.

@t0ph: It was a joke. At about 4:39, they said "..and yet, these days all they seem to be able to do is copy Google and Apple."

The 1-800-Free411 works about 50% of the time, since it's completely computerized, with no way to talk to a real human. Some businesses have pretty convoluted names that don't lend themselves to computer pronunciation.

@Cant_stop_the_rock: Still, all of the $1.99 call centers have real people, wheras the free ones are computers. A real person is extremely helpful if you need to spell out "Schlitterbahn" or to find your local Starucks, not the other 58 in the city.

@clementine: Amen to that! Its sad how underused libraries are. Libraries will have all of the phone books, city directories, etc. Please call your local librarian, they would love to answer questions besides "where's the bathroom" and "how do I print from this computer?" (Can you tell I just graduated from library school? lol)

@Nick1693: MS was just introducing Tell Me (who they acquired) on a wider scale, and Tell Me had their service out before Google 411.

So it is more proper to say Microsoft start your mint.

On a side note, will all these phone numbers with letters in them start going away, considering probably half the people I know have Blackberries and other versions of smartphones that don't have letters that correspond to the numbers???

@morganlh85: Blackbberries will let you type the letters in and it automatically converts them into numbers for you

Are 411 calls from payphones no longer free? I've been spoiled by my data phone.

microsoft has managed to make yet another interface cluttered and inefficient. upon calling, you have to listen to a message telling you what Bing 411 is (most users probably know what 411 is, because they dialed it.) then, the service asks to send you a text message about Bing 411. Again, we know what 411 is.

On the other hand, Google's service starts out with a quick message: 'Say the business and the city and state'. quick, painless, and it gets you to your information faster. seems to be what google succeeds at in all their services.

@Cant_stop_the_rock:

Blogger Lesson 101..

In order to generate more page views for your blog, use one or more of the following keywords in your blog entry headlines:

ipod
iphone
Apple
Steve Jobs
Microsoft
Vista
bacon
beer
bacon beer
ponies

In other words, Laura wasn't insulting you. Get over it.

@Xanaxian: I don't see how a legit question on a possible breach of contract makes him a hypocritical asshole.

If he decided to drop AT&T as a carrier before his contract ended, he would be pegged with a heafty fee. His punishment for not honoring the prior agreement. However, if Apple promised free 411 service at the time of signing, and they dropped that and it was important to someone (which I doubt), it's still breach of contract.

Take your pretentious (see I can use big words too) attitude elsewhere please.

Remember the days when you used to call for "time." Ah those were the days. Can you still call for "time" btw?